Pretty Recycle Bin

A few months ago our trash service decided they weren't going to pick up trash twice a week anymore. Instead, they were going to pick it up on Sundays, but then on alternating Wednesdays they were going to pick up Recycling and Green Waste. The recycling bin they provided for us was kind of far from our house, since there are a couple homes on our property that share the trash service. So what happened next was that piles of recyclables were ending up in our kitchen, next to the indoor trash can, and on our deck, before they were taken over to the main recycle bin. Something had to be done!! Of course, I made something...

I saw this pin on pinterest and was inspired.

Source: delightfuldozen.com via Randi on Pinterest

Here's what I used:

-metal trash can (I think it's a 16 or 20 gallon), $25 at ACE Hardware (kind of pricey, but that's what you get on an island!)

-4 yards of fabric (I got 2 yards in the polka dot, and 1 yard of the yellow/grey, and it wasn't quite enough. I supplemented by making the bottom out of some grey fabric I had at home.

-thread

I mainly followed the fabric bucket tutorial from Inspired by Family Magazine here. I use it alot :)

I measured the top of the trash can circumference and the bottom. I cut out fabric with the appropriate top length and bottom length. Then I stenciled a circle with fabric on the bottom to create the bottom part of the bag. 

Follow the original tutorial for all the details. I didn't use any interfacing, however, I did stitch some thick terry cloth in the shape of an 'x' spanning the bottom circle, just for a little extra re-enforcement while carrying it. The other revision to the original tutorial is that I added a strip of the yellow/grey printed fabric along the top and inserted elastic in it so that it would be secure when folded over. 

I will admit, my husband was smirking through the whole process of me making this, haha. He just didn't see why it needed to be, well, pretty. I sensitively told him to just let me make it and to try not to go searching and analyzing the reason behind it. It's a girl thing. :) We like things to be pretty. And this pretty recycle bin now sits on our deck, instead of piles of recycling.